Ekiti 2018: Fayose, PDP aspirants trade words

Leading aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have appealed to the National Chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, to ensure conduct of transparent, free, fair and acceptable primary election in the state.

The aspirants including the Senator representing Ekiti South, Mrs Biodun Olujimi: former Minister of Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye: former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Dare Bejide and immediate past state Commissioner for Justice, Mr Owoseeni Ajayi also called for the dissolution of the party State Working Committee (SWC).

Speaking at a joint press conference in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, the aspirants called for setting up of a caretaker committee to replace the Gboyega Oguntuase-led SWC to conduct the primary election slated for April.

Adeyeye, who read the text of the conference, called on PDP National Chairman to exclude Governor Ayodele Fayose and the State Chairman of the party, Gboyega Oguntuase from partaking in the conduct of the primary, saying the “duo have already compromised, they have taken positions and cannot be fair to all the aspirants”.

They demanded further: “The SWC having betrayed its expected neutrality role, should be disqualified in the process leading to the gubernatorial primary in April. We demand for a caretaker committee to replace them for the state”.

According to the aspirants, PDP is at the risk of losing the July election if Governor Fayose is allowed to subvert the party constitution with the imposition of his deputy, Prof Kolapo Olusola, as candidate.

It will be recalled that Fayose’s choice of his deputy as PDP anointed candidate had caused serious crisis within the party.

The aspirants in their prayers, said: “We reject without reservation the adoption of Prof Olusola as the sole candidate of the for the July 14 governorship election.

“Governor Fayose has pitched his tent with Prof Olusola and he should be disqualified from playing any role. The relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP Constitution should be followed strictly and arbitrary and illegal use of state apparatus like radio and television stations to subvert the truth must stop”, they said.

Adeyeye advised Secondus to act fast and checkmate Fayose to prevent the calamity that befell PDP in Ondo State from playing out in Ekiti.

Olujimi added : “Whoever says we are politicians that can be wished away will have himself to blame, the result will be grievous. We don’t want to lose Ekiti, but Governor Fayose is messing up the whole process. It was because people like us worked hard in 2014 that
made 16-0 possible for PDP.

“Prof Olusola was only a beneficiary of our sweat, he didn’t contribute anything and now he wants to be adopted against the party’s constitution, this we will not accept”, she said.

Owoseeni and Bejide, who cited Section 50(1) ( 2) and 50(2b) of the
PDP constitution, clarified that the governor and the SWC had no role
whatsoever to play in the conduct of primary, saying “allowing the
governor to have his way in a crude manner may spell doom for the
party”.

But in a reaction, Governor Fayose, who appealed to all aspirants to join hands with him to win the governorship election, said he had not violated any section of any constitution, whether that of the PDP or the 1999 Constitution in his adoption of his deputy.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said: “What the Governor did was in exercise of his own right as a member of the party and as a Nigerian. He has exercised his fundamental rights which he is entitled to.

“I want to assure other aspirants that his (Fayose’s) support for Professor Olusola has not precluded them from the primary nor foreclosed the conduct of the
primary. The primary will still hold and it is the delegates that will pick
any of the aspirants. The governor has said that there will be level
playing field.

“So, they have nothing to fear. Let them go and begin Campaign. They should not dissipate energy on condemning the governor. It is only a loser that complains. Let them go and start work. The governor as
the father of the state and the leader of the party loves everyone and the unity of the party is very dear to him”

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